Page 145 of To Free a Soul
After safely returning from Spiral Haven, Orpheus and Reia had spent much of their time inside for nearly two days straight. She would have thought they’d died if it wasn’t for the fireplace and candles illuminating it at night. The salt barrier kept her from seeing with her scrying spell due to magic keeping her out. She wasn’t privy to anything personal that happened between them – she just kept her fingers and toes crossed that all was going well.
Most days, Reia went outside to train with her sword. Orpheus was often by her side, helping in his own way.
All Lindiwe could think was:He’s matured so much.
Seeing him interact with another being who not only accepted his presence but welcomed it was new. She hadn’t realised that Orpheus had grown so much, despite his humans often perishing – many by his own fangs.
Reia was cute, in her own way. She was a stern person, who obviously didn’t let anyone push her around, yet her cheeks were quick to stain with a blush. She often made herself flustered, especially in Orpheus’ presence.
Was it enough? It felt like they were racing against time.
Her anxiety was growing by the day with Jabez’s threat lingering over her head, and she hated this wait. This feeling of uselessness. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t linger in the trees day in and day out like a creep.
Lindiwe was aware of the...intimate... nature of their relationship now, and she just couldn’t bear to snoop in person and witness it. It felt sickeningly wrong. She’d caught a glance in her viewing disc of an outside dalliance, and she’d waved away her scrying spell so quickly she’d bashed her hand against the wall.
It was making it difficult to monitor them.
One thing I know for sure: Jabez won’t attack while Orpheus is there.He wouldn’t win, even with his teleporting ability. He’d never been able to do so in the past, and he couldn’t enter the salt circle while Orpheus was there.
Unable to subdue her unease without checking on them, she brought up her viewing disc to see they were outside together.
Reia was on her hands and knees, tending the garden happily. He held a basket for her as she placed vegetables in it. Orpheus’ tail, no longer hidden away due to someone else’s disgust, shifted slightly in joy whenever Reia smiled at him – like he was just waiting for it patiently and sweetly.
This is what I always wanted for him.Someone to see who her children really were, and that they were beautiful, kind, protective, and deserving of love. Orpheus doted on her every way he possibly could, and it was nice to see someone not abuse that.
And this particular someone had opened her arms to Orpheus first, rather than it seeming like he was clinging to her skirt for scraps of affection.
They went back inside, then not long after, stepped onto the porch together.
Lindiwe’s heart nearly exploded with joy when Reia stepped closer of her own volition and slipped her arms around his midsection for a cuddle. Obviously surprised by it, it took him a moment to wrap his arms around her shoulders and draw her in tighter.
His orbs morphed to a bright pink.
Lindiwe sat up straighter and leaned forward to see better.I know because of Aleron that their orbs can turn that colour, but I’ve never seen it happen before.Her pulse raced in excitement.What does pink mean?!She’d been waiting since Aleron’s birth to know!
Whatever it signified, it was obviously a pleasant emotion.
Is it... love?Her lips pursed in thought.Then why did they never turn that colour for Katerina? Unless...did Orpheus never love her?Then again, how could love form when all Katerina did was throw salt into his garden of affection, rather than tend to it with nourishment? Obsession, fascination, curiosity – these things had been apparent, but perhaps never anything as deep or as tender as love.
Orpheus’ orbs shifted to bright yellow during their conversation. “You are funny, my little doe. If they do not fear Mavka, then they will not fear you and your little sword.”
Reia lowered her sword with a pout. “That’s not nice, Orpheus.”
He answered her with a light chuckle.
They’re going to practise.They did this almost every day, then they would go inside so Reia could cook, bathe, and whateverelse it is they did.I’m glad she’s finding the book I told her to get useful.
Seeing that they were fine, together, safe, and most of all, happy, Lindiwe changed the image to a different child. Although she had the ability to bring up multiples at the same time, she refused to weaken Weldir when she didn’t have to.
You worry me, Leonidas.After so many years, he’d found the courage to return to the centre of the Veil. He didn’t linger, often wandering the surface where it was safer, but he currently approached the village.
He eventually headed inside it, and the spell around it stopped her from scrying on him.
She moved onto Merikh, who had immersed himself within a new human city. His glamour allowed him to weave through the crowd of people without issue, and Lindiwe had no idea what the citizens saw. The blue mana stone hanging from a silver chain, tapping against his bony forehead, only glowed when he was in the presence of humans.
Oddly enough, he said he wanted to fit in, yet he was surly with everyone he spoke to.
She couldn’t help smiling when she summoned Ingram and Aleron to the forefront. They mirrored each other’s movements in reflected parallel as they wandered through the Veil. A poor, unsuspecting Demon caught their attention.
